Fastener for envelopes



(No Model.)

G. 11. RANDALL. FASTENER POR ENVBLOPES.

Patented May 19,1891.

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` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. RANDALL, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FASTEN ER FOR ENVELOPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,651, dated May 19, 1891. Application filed December 28, 1889. Serial No. 335,197. (No model.)

T a/ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H.l RANDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Medford, in the county of Middlesex and Coinmonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Envelopes, Bags, and Similar Articles, of which the following is a full specification. My invention consists of an improved envelope or bag fastener secured to the bag or envelope near the mouth or open end thereof and adapted to close a fold at the month, as hereinafter described. y In the accompanying drawings, Figure l. shows in elevation an envelope provided with my improved fastener, the envelope being shown With its mouth open. Fig. 2 isa similar view of t-he envelope Withits mouth closed over by one or more folds. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the fold at the mouth securely held -by the fastener; and Fig. e is a perspec- V tive soctionon x, Fig. 3, looked at from the front.

A is the-front, and A the back, of an envelope, which preferably opens at the end. Near the mouth of the envelope is pivotally secured to the back thereof the fastener B, which is preferably made of metallic wire, having at each end the arm b, bent ,substantially at right angles to thel main pivoted portionthereof. The fastener B is, moreover, preferably provided near its center with the struck-up V-shaped supporting portion b2, the function of which Will presently be shown.

The fastener B is held to the envelopefback in any desired manner, so that it may turn around the straight portion as a pivotal axis. I have shown it held by means of the retaining-piece E, made of any suitable materialsuch as cloth or paper-glued or pasted to the envelope-back. This piece E has, moreover, the opening or slit c, through which the oentral supporting portion b2 operates. As herein shown, the front A of the envelope has the flap a projecting at the mouth beyond the back A. When the new envelopes areshipped,before they have been used, they are packed With their months open and with the pivoted fastener lB in the position shown in Fig. 1-z`. e., with the arms b pointing down-in which position the envelopes may be very compactly packed. When it is to be closed,havingreceived the materialwhiohit is to contain, the flap a is first bent down over the back A of the envelope and both back and front are folded along` the line g g, Fig. l, forming the fold a', and the fastener B is turned into the position shown in Fig. 2 With the arms l) pointing up. The final fastening is simply accomplished by bending down the projecting ends b of the arms b, which are prefer ably in the form of eyes, over the front of the envelope and around the fold 0.', as indicated in-Figs. 3 and 4. While the arms h securelyhold the closing-fold ct of the envelope at either side in a closed position when their ends Z2 are bent down, as shown, the supporting portion b2 presses firmly against the middle of the fold, keepingit flatly pressed down, and thus obviates any possibility of i seed or other line material which the envelope may contain sifting ont in the middle of the fold.

If desired, two or more folds may be made at vthe mouth of the envelope before the ends b of the arms b are bent down, and the same envelope may be used many times over, ifrequired.

I claim* An envelope or bag provided near its mou th with a fastener B, pivotally secured thereto to turn about an axis parallel to the mouth, the said fastener being provided with separate pliable fold-securing arms b at each end and a central V-shaped fold-supporting portion b2, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORG-E H. RANDALL.

Vitnesses:

M. H. THOMPSON, ALBERT E. LEACH. 

